Witches love Quidditch
by BabraGleekPotter
Summary: Oliver Wood returns to Hogwarts for a while and what he sees in an unrecognizable Ginny Weasley, who had only been a little girl when he had left, will give him second thoughts about the choices he has made in his life. Sorry for the lame summary but I'm on a hurry! OliverxGinny , HarryxGinny , DeanxGinny , HermionexRon.
1. 1) PROLOGUE

**GINNY**

She was walking down the staircase, heading to the Great Hall, late as usual. She had never been as eager to eat as her brothers, but it was known that skipping breakfast was bad for people's health, and she had Quidditch practice that afternoon.

_I can't afford to faint,_ she thought as she passed by the fat man's portrait, _Harry will kill me._

They really wanted to win the cup that year, the team wanted it, Harry wanted it, every Gryffindor wanted it.

_I want it._

Skipping breakfast was not an option. Perhaps skipping the first class of the day, but not the breakfast.

"Goodmorning, Ginny" greeted Hermione, carrying something like nine or ten books in her arms.

"Do you need help with that?" she asked.

_I'm already late, what do I have to lose?_

"Don't worry, they're helping me already" she moved her head so as to point Harry and Ron a few steps behind her, carrying at least four books each.

"Have you lost your bag?" Ginny grinned.

"Broke it" shrugged Hermione.

"And you, have you lost your watch?" asked Ron, approaching them. "You're late"

"When isn't she?" mocked Harry, looking at her. "Hello, Ginny"

"Hello, captain" she joked, winking. "Well, I see you guys are going, so I'm going to eat now"

"Enjoy your breakfast, if Ron has left you any" said Hermione, walking out the room.

"Are you going back there? I didn't eat _that_ much.."

"You sacked the kitchens, the elves won't know what to cook for our supper"

"You never mind your own business, do ya?" Ginny heard her brother reply, before she walked on to the middle of the room and sat down.

That was the place she used to sit at, but that morning the Great Hall was almost empty, and at the teachers' table only Dumbledore was lingering over a huge slice of chocolate cake. Smiling to herself, Ginny grabbed the juice carafe and filled her goblet. Then, she reached out to take the only two remaining slices of toasted bread from the silver tray in front of her.

_No jam, no butter, no knife._

She shrugged and bit the slice.

_And it's cold. Good, I deserve it. Next time I won't be late._

But Harry was right; she was _always_ late. Not only for breakfast, but also for lunch, supper or dates. Of course, he couldn't know about that last one, because he had never gone on a date with her.

_I've never asked him, _she thought, consuming her frugal breakfast. _Last year he might have rejected me, but now.. I might try. He's not with Cho anymore, and I'm sick of Dean._

Lost in her thoughts, she had not realised someone had sitten down in front of her.

"Hello there"

"Oliver!" she exclaimed, dropping her toast. "What are you doing here?"

Oliver Wood, ex-Gryffindor student and captain of the Quidditch team. He had finished his studies two years ago, during Ginny's second year at Hogwarts. She had always known him from afar, since she was only a child when he had left, but Fred and George had made sure she knew him well, especially his bossy attitude before an important match.

_Before every match,_ remembered Ginny, _Fred says he considered every match important._

"I'm off work right now" he said, "on holiday"

He smiled, and Ginny smiled back. She liked how that was their real first conversation and he talked to her as he would talk to anyone of her brothers.

_He knows I'm in the team. Angelina must have told him._

"I heard you're playing for the Puddlemore United" she said, grabbing the juice carafe and filling a goblet for him, "must be exciting, isn't it?"

"It is, yeah. Thank you" he took the goblet and leaned his head on his left shoulder. "Unfortunately I've been replaced"

"What?"

Ginny widened her eyes. Fred and George had always said he was the greatest keeper of all times.

_They made fun of him, yes, but they said that. _

"How is that possible?"

Oliver was flattered by her tone of surprise, and Ginny was getting used to the dimples that came along with his smiles.

"I had a sport injury, I haven't played for three weeks" he explained, taking a sip of his juice. "Had a dislocated shoulder. I'm fine now, but I still can't play"

"I'm so sorry" she replied, feeling a bit depressed. "I bet it's killing you"

"It is"

They remained silent for awhile. Ginny was giving small bites to her cold toast, hunger had completely left her, and Oliver was staring at his goblet, with a sad smile on his face.

_He does smile a lot,_ thought Ginny, thinking of something clever to say to lighten the mood.

"Have you heard from Angelina?" she asked randomly.

_I don't know him that well, he won't expect anything more elaborated than this._

"We sometimes write to eachother, yeah" he nodded, "but I haven't received any letter for months. Perhaps you'd know what she's doing now, since she and Fred are.. well, they used to date, didn't they?"

His hesitation made Ginny grin.

_He thinks I don't know what Fred and Angelina used to do? He thinks I'm still the little girl who'd wait outside the Quidditch pitch to see Harry return from his trainings?_

Well, she still waited for him, but only because they were team mates, and someone _had_ to make fun of Ron after a day of bad practice. And Harry loved her jokes and mimickings.

_And I love to see him smile,_ she thought, hoping her cheeks weren't turning red.

"Yes, they did. Nothing serious, though"

"Really?" he asked.

His smile had faded.

_He likes her,_ Ginny realised.

"Yes, don't worry" she assured him, "I haven't seen her for awhile, and Fred is after this Victoria, Verity, or whatever her name is.."

"I'm.. not worried.." he whispered, looking away.

"You sure?" she grinned.

He looked kind of clueless, his cheeks were turning red. She couldn't tell if it was because of Angelina or he was just uncomfortable with speaking about girls with an almost stranger, but one thing she knew for sure: she had failed at cheering him up.

"Did you know that Fred and George own a shop in Diagon Alley?" Ginny asked, willing to try again. "It's called Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes"

Oliver kept staring at her, quiet.

_At least he's not blushing anymore._

"That's were they met Verity" she continued, grabbing the carafe, "she works with them. Actually, she works_ for_ them. More juice?"

"I'm good, thanks"

"They sells joke objects, such as Reusable Hangman and Extendable Ears, but also WonderWitch products, for example love potions. Oh, and last summer I bought a Pygmy Puff!"

Oliver finally smiled.

_Finally, _she thought,_ mission accomplished._

She emptied her goblet and wiped her mouth with a sleeve. While doing that, she noticed her watch tied around her wrist.

"Crap" she murmured, standing up, "I'm so late"

Oliver stood up as well and put his hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault" he apologised, "let me come with you, I'll explain it to your teacher"

"Better if you don't" Ginny grabbed her bag, "I have Transfiguration now, McGonagall would turn the both of us in a pair of broomsticks and make us fly around the castle until tomorrow"

Oliver grinned and walked towards her.

"Trust me" he said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "I know how to play Professor McGonagall"

"No one knows how to play her" she replied, raising her eyebrows, "she's tougher than marble"

"I'll go with you" he insisted.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Come on, let's go. I've been late at her classes for years"

Ginny shrugged and followed him out the Great Hall, thinking that if he was speaking the truth and he really had been late at McGonagall's classes for years, it was a good achievement that he could still sit on a broomstick.


	2. 2) RON

**RON**

"Come on, Mione" he begged. "Just the first five lines"

"No"

"Fine, just the first five words"

_"No"_

Ron snorted and sat back on his chair.

"I hate you"

"Whatever" she replied, dipping the point of her quill into the ink pot.

Ron gave Harry a forlon look, but he shrugged. None of them could make Hermione change her mind, when she forbade them to cheat off her homework.

"Come on, man, help me" Ron mouthed, but Harry shook his head.

_You're a quitter, dontcha? _he thought._ But I ain't._

"Hemione?" he called, tapping her arm.

She sighed and slowly looked up at him.

"What?"

"Please"

"Ron.."

"Please, Hermione!"

"Drop it, Ron" meddled Harry, "she won't let us, and we're going to be late for Quidditch practice"

"Who cares about Quidditch!" he exclaimed, desperate. "If we don't write the damn thing, tomorrow Snape will kill us"

"You had two weeks to write the _damn_ thing" replied Hermione, "procrastinating was your choice"

"Snape giving us two weeks of time means the work is bloody difficult, don't you agree?"

"It was bloody difficult for me too!" she protested.

"Oh, please" Ron shook his hand, "nothing is ever difficult for you, you're bloody brilliant at everything you do"

"Rubbish" said Hermione, but she had blushed.

Harry gave Ron an encouraging look beside her back.

_Got it,_ thought Ron, before speaking again.

"I mean it, Mione, you're great. And you know I'm not fooling you, because you can see it yourself, just check your grades!"

"I.. Ron.." she hesitated.

"Most people call you a bookworm, but I say you're a genius!"

"Ron.."

"And if anyone asked me who's the most brilliant girl on this planet, I'd say that's you" he continued, thrilled.

"Shut up, will you?" she hissed him, smiling. "I won't let you cheat off my homework"

Harry and Ron huffed at one time.

"I will do them for you" she added, looking up at them, "as soon as I finish my essay for History of Magic"

"You will?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"_Really?_" echoed Ron.

"Don't you need a minute to think about that?"

"Honestly, mate" Ron hit him with his elbow, "what's wrong with you?"

Hermione laughed and shook her head.

_Beautiful,_ thought Ron, staring at her.

"Hurry, guys" she said eventually, "you're going to be late"

"I'm the captain, I'm never late" replied Harry, "those who come before me are early"

"Lots of thanks, Mione" Ron hugged her, beaming, "I promise to help more with the S.C.R.E.W., I promise!"

"It's _S.P.E.W._" Harry whispered to his ear, but it was too late.

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Get out of here before I change my mind" she bidded.

"At once, my lady!" exclaimed Ron, grabbing Harry's shirt and starting to walk away.

"Thank you, Hermione" cried Harry, "we promise we won't procrastinate ever again!"

Before the portrait closed up behind their back, Ron clearly heard her reply:

"That's what you said the last time"

"Why d'you make promises you know we won't keep?" he asked his friend.

"I always hope to keep them" Harry shrugged, as they walked down the stairs, "really, I do. It's just.."

"Harder than it seems"

"Exactly"

"Yeah, I know the feeling" agreed Ron. "Anyway, the next time she decides to do our homework, you may want to shut up and let her"

"I know, but I feel guilty" said Harry.

"She offered!"

"You insisted"

"And you discouraged her!" Ron exclaimed in disbelief.

"I did _not_ discourage her.."

"Are you sure, Hermione? Don't you need a minute to think about that?" Ron mimicked. "Seriously, mate, did you hit your head?"

"You're right, you're right" Harry nodded, apologetical, "my bad, I exaggerated"

"_Thank you_"

A few minutes later they were at the Quidditch pitch. Ginny was already there, talking to a burly boy.

"Oh, no" he muttered, "another boyfriend, is it?"

"What?" asked Harry, looking at him, then at Ginny, then back at him. "No, it.. you think so?"

"I don't know, maybe"

"Let's go check" said Harry, hurring towards his sister and the mysterious boy.

_He's such a friend,_ Ron thought as he followed, _he acts like if she was his own sister._

Only when he saw the boy smack Harry's shoulder, he realised something was wrong.

"Wood?" he asked, approaching them.

"So many Weasleys" Oliver gave Ginny a quick smile.

"Two out of seven" she replied, grinning.

"Two out of a hundred and seven" joked Harry.

"Blimey" exclaimed Ron, as Wood smacked his arm too, "what are you doing here?"

"He's on a holiday" explained Ginny, "because he's too much of a great keeper and they make him work a lot"

Oliver laughed, and Harry put on a big smile.

"It's nice to see you" he told his ex-captain.

"Y'know, mate" said Ron, "Harry's our captain now"

"I've heard" Oliver replied, "Ginny says you're as good a captain as you are a seeker"

"She says that?" Harry asked, surprised.

"I know she's lying though; there's nothing you do better than you catch a snitch"

"Bloody true" agreed Ron. "If we'd known you'd be here, we'd have told Hermione to come say hello"

"Never mind" Oliver shrugged, "I'll see her tonight at dinner"

"You will?" said Ginny. "I mean, you'll stay for dinner?"

"Of course he will, he can't leave without saying hello to his beloved Hermione" joked Ron, and Harry laughed.

Oliver shook his head, amused.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ginny, confused.

"Nothing, they're just being stupid"

"We ain't, mate" hissed Ron, laughing. "Remember the match against Hufflepuff, on the third year, when it was raining cats and dogs?"

Ginny nodded.

"Hermione made some charm to my glasses" explained Harry, "so that I could see through the rain"

Ron smiled and pointed at Oliver.

"He would have kissed her, Harry says!"

"But you lost the match" observed Ginny.

"That's why he didn't" joked Ron, and the three boys burst out laughing.

"I see" Ginny nodded, grinning, then looked at Oliver. "You might confess her your love tonight"

"I'll see what I can do" he replied, winking.

_You just have to try,_ thought Ron, suddenly bitter.

"So, mind if I watch?" Oliver asked Harry. "I want to see if you truly can train a team"

"Oh, he can do that" answered Ginny, "but there's nothing any of us can do about Ron.. he's_ hopeless_"

"Shut up, you" hissed Ron.

"Come on guys" meddled Harry, "let's go change our clothes. And, yes, Oliver, you can stay and watch"

"Thanks, captain" he bowed his head as Harry, Ron and Ginny walked to the locker room.


	3. 3) LUNA

**LUNA**

_Pudding!,_ she thought, enthusiastic, serving herself a bowl.

It was dinner time, and even with the Great Hall crowded she was eating alone, as she did most the time. Some people ignored her or made fun of her, others were kind out of pity, but no one was really friendly to her but one person.

"Luna!" called Ginny. "Come sit with us"

She smiled and filled another bowl of pudding before reaching the Gryffindor table. Ginny was sitting in front of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley and next to Hermione Granger and another boy who Luna had never seen before.

"You look older" she told him.

"I.." the boy stuttered, "I am"

"But Ron Weasley's taller than you" observed Luna.

Ginny giggled.

"This is Oliver Wood, Luna" she introduced, "and she is Luna Lovegood, Oliver"

"Nice to meet you" he said with a tiny smile.

"Nobody ever says that"

"Why don't you sit down?" proposed Hermione, pointing at an empty chair next to Ron.

Luna obeyed as if she'd given her an order, and put down the two bowls of pudding she wasa holding.

"I brought an extra bowl, if someone wants pudding" she announced, looking around her.

"You not going to eat that?" asked Ron Weasley, staring at the bowl. "You sure?"

Luna thought about for awhile.

"I think I am" she said eventually. "Take it"

"Thanks"

"Why did you do that?" Luna asked Hermione Granger.

"Do what?" she asked, surprised.

"You rolled your eyes, why?"

"Oh, _that_" huffed Hermione, giving Ron a severe look. "Because he eats too much"

"Because he eats too much" he said in a shriek voice, mimicking her.

"He's very skinny" replied Luna, staring at him, then looking at his friend beside him. "Harry Potter is very skinny also. Hello, Harry"

"Hello, Luna" he greeted.

"You're not very skinny" she continued, speaking to Oliver Wood. "You're quite sturdy actually"

The boy blushed, looking down at his empty dish.

"I know.." he said under his breath.

"Oliver is into sports, you know" explained Ginny, hitting his arm, "he has muscles because he trains a lot"

_Oh, he blushed even more,_ noticed Luna, but she knew better than to say it out loud.

"Do you play Quidditch?" she asked, taking a guess.

"He plays _the_ Quidditch, mate" Ron Weasley replied with his mouth full. "He's bloody good, he plays for Puddlemore United!"

Luna burst out laughing, and Hermione Granger looked at her with her eyes widened.

_She always looks at me that way,_ she thought starting to eat her pudding once her laughter was over.

"What's so funny about me playing for Puddlemore?" asked Oliver Wood, confused. "I mean, it's one of the best teams in all England.."

"Oh, sorry, I wasn't laughing at you" Luna swallowed, "it's just that it has a funny name.. it makes me think of pudding"

"Oh"

He looked even more confused than before, but she shrugged and started to eat again.

"So, how long are you going to stay here, Oliver?" asked Hermione Granger.

_Gulping gargoyles, there is something she doesn't know._

"Yes, and what exactly are you doing here?" added Harry Potter. "I mean, it's really good to see you, but why have you come back?"

"Missing good old Hooch?" guessed Ron Weasley, his bowl of pudding almost empty. "Or Harry, perhaps"

"I just wanted to say hi, that's all" Oliver shrugged before looking at the teachers table, "make sure Harry's being a good captain. McGonagall will hate you forever, if you don't win the cup this year"

"Yeah, last year went a bit wrong"

"I know, Angelina told me"

"But this year" said Harry stretching his arms up in the air, "we won't let anyone take that cup from us"

"Especially since there's no Umbridge around" commented Ginny.

"Gryffindor's won the Quidditch cup for three consecutive years" realised Oliver, looking back at his friends, "apparently all it took was for me to leave"

"You should stay this year too and see if that's true" suggested Luna, griding the pudding at the bottom of the bowl.

"I can't, I have to go back to work"

"To work?"

"Yes" Oliver hesitated. "You know, Puddlemore United"

"Is that considered a work?" Luna widened her eyes. "I thought Quidditch was a sport"

"It is" huffed Hermione, "but when you get paid for doing it, it becomes a job"

"I get it"

She looked down at her empty bowl, sad.

"There's never enough pudding" she complained, "they should make more"

"Who, the house elves?" Hermione asked sourly. "Did you know that they are unpaid?"

"Oh, no" moaned Ron, looking at Harry, "here we go again"

"What!" she exclaimed, angry. "Everyone should know about that!"

"Know what?" asked Oliver, confused.

"Well" began Ginny, "the kitchens are run by house elves, but they don't get any wage"

"Can you believe it?" exhaled Hermione, raising up her hands. "I can't, honestly. You'd think Dumbledore should do something about this kind of injustice, but.."

"But the house elves like to work for free, so shut up about it" hissed Ron, standing up. "This pudding is really good, Luna, I'm taking another bowl"

"I'll go with you"

"No, stay. I'll fetch it for you"

"Thanks" replied Luna, as he walked away. "He's very kind, isn't he?"

"Charming" snorted Hermione, as she stood up as well. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed"

"Oh, no" said Ginny, "please, don't go, Ron's an idiot, he's the one who should shut up"

"It's not about that, really. I'm just tired, that's all"

"You sure?"

"Absolutely"

"Alright then" Ginny resigned, "good night"

"Thanks" Hermione waved her hand, "to you too. Bye bye, Oliver"

"Bye, Hermione" he waved back and smiled.

As she left the room, Ron came back with two bowls of pudding.

"Here" he said, handing one down in front of Luna.

"Thanks"

"Where's Hermione?" he asked, looking around. "Did she want some pudding as well?"

"No" ansered Luna, "she was tired"

"And you're an idiot" added Ginny.

"What did I.."

"Did you need to be that _rude_?"

"You wouldn't defend her if you'd spent the whole day with her" huffed Ron, "she's obsessed with house elves, always talking about bloody S.C.R.E.W..."

"It's S.P.E.W." Harry corrected him.

"What's _spew_?" Oliver asked with a grin.

"Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare" explained Ginny.

"Stupid Pointless Extra Work" joked Ron. "I'm sorry, but I'm far too busy to care about the house elves this year.."

"Is that why you had Hermione do your homework today?" asked his sister.

"Harry and I had Quidditch practice! Do you want Gryffindor to win the Quidditch cup or not?"

"Of course I do, but she's been very nice to you and you treated her like crap!"

"Please, shut up" Ron covered his eyes with his hand, "you're giving me headache"

"Fine" Ginny snorted and jumped up her chair, "I'm going to sleep too. Goodnight Harry, goodnight Oliver, goodnight Luna"

"Night" she replied, chewing her pudding.

"Goodnight" Harry and Oliver said at once.

"Women" grunted Ron, "what's wrong with them?"

Harry shrugged, and Oliver cleared his throat, looking at Luna.

"She's no ordinary girl" Ron smiled, "are you, Luna?"

"If you say so" she replied.

_I'm not like Hermione Granger, if that's what you mean._

"Ginny is no ordinary girl" commented Oliver. "To be honest, I hadn't really noticed her when I studied here, but now.."

"What now?" asked Harry, curious.

"She's just.. _different_" explained Oliver, "from most girls"

"I can't see it" Ron said with a shrug.

"No, he's right" meddled Luna, "Ginny _is_ different. She is nice to me. People usually aren't"

"Well.. I don't know about that" Oliver smiled uncomfortably, "but you have to admit that she's kind of_ butch_"

"It's because she plays Quidditch" said Harry, "many girls who play Quidditch are like her, you would know about that"

"Yeah, just think about Angelina!" exclaimed Ron. "She's so manly"

"Ginny isn't manly" observed Oliver, "she's just.. wild"

"She's great" concluded Luna, and the three boys stared at her.

"Never said she wasn't" replied Oliver.

"Yeah, we know she's great" said Harry.

"Okay"

Luna nodded and stood up.

"You know what, I don't want it anymore" she moved her pudding towards Ron, "you can have it if you like"

"Really?" he asked, pushing his empty bowl away. "Thanks!"

"No problem. Goodnight Harry Potter, goodnight Ron Weasley, goodnight Oliver.."

"Wood" he smiled. "And goodnight to you, Luna Lovegood"

_His face is pleasant to look at,_ she thought, _and he says good things about Ginny. I like him._

She waved at them and trotted out the Great Hall.


	4. 4) DEAN

**DEAN**

"Hello, beautiful"

"Hello, you"

He leaned over to kiss her on the cheek; _no_ lips when Ron was around.

"Where did you go yeasterday?" he asked her, sitting down next to her. "I couldn't find you anywhere"

"I woke up late and it shifted my schedule" explained Ginny, "you know, I had breakfast late, went to class late.. the only unbelated thing was McGonagall's lecture"

"Sorry about that" said Dean. "How did the Quidditch practice go?"

He gave a quick look at Ron, who was sitting a few chairs away.

"Everything okay?"

"If by okay you mean that my brother didn't accidentally push anyone off their broom, then yes, everything was fine" Ginny answered with a grin.

"Great" he bit his toast. "So what did you do yeasterday, other than Quidditch practice?"

"Walked Oliver around the castle" she shrugged.

Dean raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Oliver?"

"Wood" said Ginny, pouring herself some juice. "You know Oliver Wood"

"Yes, but I thought he'd finished school something like three years ago"

"He did, he just came over for a quick visit"

"How.." Dean hesitated.

_Weird? Unusual? A waste of time?_

"Nice" he concluded.

"Yeah, he even tried to have McGonagall calm down" continued Ginny, pouring some juice in his goblet as well. "But it was useless, she punished me anyway"

"Thanks. What do you have to do?" he asked her. "Extra homework? Clean the toilets? You've not been suspended from the Quidditch team, have you?"

"It's McGonagall, Dean. She would never cause any damage to the team. Besides, I was only late for class, I didn't kill anyone"

"She can be severe" he observed, taking a sip of his juice.

"She does" sighed Ginny. "I have to write an essay about the _Uses and Consequences of Vanishing Spells during the Past Centuries and the Modern Age_"

"What's with the past centuries and modern age?" Dean asked with a half smile. "It's Transfiguration, not History of Magic"

"My point exactly, but when I told her so she saw that it was a punishment, not a recreational writing.."

"That sounds like something she would say"

"..and suggested me to sit down before it became _Uses, Consequences and Practical Examples_" concluded Ginny.

"Wow" Dean put his goblet down and took another bite of his toast. "Did you sit down?"

"I have no clue how to use a Vanishing Spell, so yeah"

"Wise move" he commented, softly laughing before starting to eat his eggs.

"Are you enjoying it?" Ginny asked, staring at him.

"What?" he asked, chewing.

"Do you think this is funny?"

"No, I'm sorry" Dean swallowed and wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "I was just.."

"Giggling!" Ginny exclaimed angrily. "This essay will take me a lifetime to write"

"Well, it's not my fault, you should have been on time"

"I woke up late because you didn't let me go to bed when I told you I was tired the other night!"

Dean shook his head in disbelief.

"I didn't _let_ you.. come on, Ginny, it's not like I tied you to a tree and forbid you to move"

"You insisted on have me stay a little bit longer in front our your friends"

"In front of _our_ friends"

"Whatever" she shrugged and threw her red hair in the air, "I couldn't leave you there like an idiot, they all have girlfriends, you'd have been alone"

"Poor me" joked Dean, "I'd have cried"

"Fine" Ginny spoke in a voice that meant things were far distant from being fine. "You know what? The next time, I won't even hang out with you, so you can spend the night explaining to your friends that your girlfriend cannot be late for classes!"

"You could have skipped breakfast" he sighed, annoyed.

"I'm a jock, I _can't_ skip breakfast"

"I play Quidditch too, and I skipped breakfast a thousand times when I was late"

"You're not as good as I am" she protested, raising an eyebrow, "and you're not in the team. Harry needs me"

Those words felt like a hundred knife through his chest. He knew she'd been into Harry for a long time, and he knew she had moved on with her life, but he couldn't help but feel a bit jealous anytime she mentioned him.

_Besides she's not better than me at flying_, he thought.

"Oh, I see" Dean muttered. "He _needs_ you"

"Don't be stupid now" huffed Ginny, "I just meant that he's the captain and he needs his team mates to be in shape, not starving"

"You could have eaten more at lunch.." he suggested, but she was furious.

"I do_ not_ gorge myself, I'm not Ron!"

"I'm not saying you should gorge yourself, I meant eat a little more.."

"Please, shut up about it" she cried, shutting her eyes closed. "I'm tired of this"

"You started it" he said in a whisper.

"And I'm ending it. Hello, Oliver"

Her sudden tone of voice made Dean turn around, and eventually he understood the meaning of her words. Oliver Wood, the ex-captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team was standing in front of them, on the other side of the table.

"Hi Ginny" he greeted, then looked at Dean. "Hey"

"Hey" echoed Dean, joyless.

"He's Oliver Wood, Dean.." Ginny began.

"I know who he is" he hissed her.

"Dean Thomas, right?" asked Wood, leaning his head on his left shoulder.

"Right"

_So you know me, I know you. Leave now._

But Wood couldn't seem to sense the tension in the air.

"Can I sit here?"

_I'd rather you didn't._

"Absolutely" Ginny nodded, smiling. "You hungry?"

"Starving, as usual" Wood answered, sitting down in front of her.

"You're too hard on yourself" she replied. "It's like I told Luna, you eat a lot because you train a lot. It's normal"

"You just mustn't gorge yourself" Dean observed.

"Shut up, you" Ginny whispered, hitting him with her elbow.

"Well.. I guess it's true" Wood continued, cutting his bacon. "But I haven't been training for awhile to be honest"

"Soon enough, when your shoulder gets better, you will start to work again, and you'll regret this short holyday of yours"

"I can't wait. It's terrible not to be able to play"

"I can relate" Ginny said sadly. "If I got hurt and couldn't play Quidditch I think I'd throw myself from the highest window of the castle"

"That'd be an interesting story to tell my friends when we hang out.."

"Enough, Dean" she flared up.

Dean looked at her full of anger, than at Oliver.

"Sorry" he apologised.

"No problem, mate" the burly boy shrugged, but he was nervous now; Dean could see it.

"So.. when are you going to leave?" he asked him to change the subject.

"Tonight" Wood answered, playing with his eggs.

"Tonight?" repated Ginny, visibly disappointed. "But you've only been here for a day"

"Tonight it'll be two days" Wood grinned and drove his fork right into his mouth.

"Still, there's no point in going back home!" Ginny insisted. "You can't play, your team won't mind if you stay here a little longer"

_She's completely ignoring me,_ Dean thought, _and avoiding my gaze now. Man, she can be childish sometimes._

Wood swallowed before speaking again.

"I have therapy and aftercare and those special trainings for injured keepers to do"

"Oh, come on, it's not like that muggle sport with the goalposts, it's Quidditch!" Ginny exclaimed. "And I bet Puddlemore United has some great medical staff, I'm surprised you still aren't playing yet!"

_That muggle sport with goalposts! Like she doesn't know how much I love football!_

"It's not that simple" Wood sadly shook his head. "If I had broken my leg or a had a damage of lesser importance.. but a dislocation is difficult to heal, and I'm a keeper, I need my shoulders, both of them" he grabbed the juice carafe and filled her goblet. "Playing now would be risky, I could hurt it even more"

"That's true - thanks - I'm sorry" she bit her lips. "I hadn't thought about that"

"Don't worry, it's not your fault" Wood shrugged before filling his own goblet. Then he looked at Dean. "Want?"

"No" he rudely replied, "thank you"

He actually wanted some juice, but he was too angry with Ginny to accept it from Oliver Wood.

"You know what?" she said, suddenly happy. "We could go down to the Quidditch pit when I'm done with my classes, and play.. you know.. _safely_. Nothing serious, like.. we could only use one ring, and you'll use only your unharmed arm"

"I don't know.." Wood hesitated, leaning his head on his left shoulder again.

_He blushed,_ Dean noticed.

"I'll go easy on you, I swear it" said his girlfriend.

"I.." Wood gave a quick look at Dean, "well, alright. If you insist.."

"I insist" Ginny smiled.

"Okay then"

"Okay then!" she echoed, excited. "I have to go now, I left my books in the Common Room, and I can't be late today as well"

"Who do you have now?" Wood asked. "McGonagall again?"

"If only. No, I have Binns"

"Ah, Hisory of Magic. Boring"

"Useless is more like it" Ginny grinned and stood up. "See ya later, Oliver. You coming?" she added, looking down at Dean.

_Finally._

"Yep" he said, jumping up. "Bye, Wood"

"Bye, Dean" Wood replied, waving.

Dean and Ginny started to walk toward the door, and when they got out the Great Hall she spoke.

"Why did you call him Wood?"

Dean shrugged.

"That's his name" he said.

"_Oliver_ is his name" she corrected him.

"He didn't mind, did he?" he replied, annoyed. "Anyway, thanks for not inviting me to play Quidditch with you this afternoon"

"Didn't think you'd like to come" she said, shaking her head.

"You didn't ask me" Dean objected.

Ginny sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Would you like to come?" she asked.

"No"

"Than what are you complaining about?"

_Why can't she understand?_ thought Dean.

"Nothing" he answered with a shrug, "I just thought it might have been nice to spend the day with you, since yesterday we didn't even see eachother"

"That's sweet" Ginny said, taking his hands, "but Oliver is leaving tonight. You and I can hang out some other day, right?"

It was unusual to hear Ginny say _that's sweet_, and she actually grimaced when she said that, and Dean would have normally appreciated the effort, but he was too upset because of the way she had ignored him in front of Wood.

"Fine" he said, looking down.

Ginny's smile, or at least the thing it mostly looked like, faded.

"You know what" she replied, letting go of his hands, "you're angry, I get that, but there's no need to be rude"

_I'm being rude?_ he thought, confused.

"I didn't ask you to walk me to the Common Room" she continued, "I know the way, so you may go now"

"Don't tell me what to do" he bursted, angry again.

"And you stop treating me like a child" she exclaimed, starting to walk up the stairs.

"Stop acting like a child then!" he cried, following her.

This made her flare up again.

"Why am I acting like a child" she turned around, "because I want to play Quidditch with a friend and I didn't invite you?"

"A_ friend_" Dean huffed, "you never even looked at him before he played for Puddlemore United"

"What are you saying?"

Ginny was confused, but had a dangerous frown on her face.

"Only that you like being friends with famous people" Dean said all at once. "First Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, and now Oliver Wood, the-keeper-who-hurt-his-shoulder.."

"Now who's the child?" she interrupted him with a fake, twisted smile.

"You don't get it, do you?" Dean took one step more and grabbed her hands. "I just wanted to spend some time _with you_"

"You would have!" she exclaimed. "Yesterday, if you had come to the Quidditch pitch where you knew for a fact that I was practicing with the team!"

"I didn't want to disturb you.." he began.

"Don't _lie_ to me!" she bridled, pushing him away. "You didn't want to watch me train because you're jealous that I'm in the team and you are _not_"

She started to walk up the stairs again, but after a few steps she turned around, an expression of clear disappointment on her face.

"So much for your pride" she sibilated, before running away, her long hair waving behind her like flames.


	5. 5) HERMIONE

**HERMIONE**

"Have I ever told you that you are my hero?" Ron asked as they left the classroom.

"Heroine" Hermione corrected him.

"Pardon?"

She sighed and shook her head.

"I'm a girl, Ron" she said in the way you would speak to a five-year-old.

"I maybe not as smart as you are, but I know that" Ron replied.

"Apparently you only found it out two years ago, before the Yule Ball" Hermione objected.

"You're slower than you think, mate" joked Harry, hitting him with his elbow.

"I did _not_ find it out before the Yule Ball" Ron protested, "I've known so all along"

"How brilliant"

"Come on now, be nice with me" he said, staring at her with puppy eyes. "I was trying to thank you"

_Oh, don't look at me like that,_ she begged inside her mind.

"I am being nice" she hoped she wasn't blushing. "Have I not done your homework for you?"

Harry stood between them and put his arms around his friends' necks.

"And if you don't lower your voice, Snape will turn the three of us into giant toads" he whispered, "or worse"

"Spiders, perhaps" Hermione grinned, looking at Ron.

"Don't even say that!" he exclaimed, swallowing.

Harry and Hermione burst out laughing, as the trio reached the staircase.

"Relax, Ron" Hemione said eventually, "Snape would never turn us into spiders.. he would simply kill us, that's all"

"Better dead than a spider" he said, shivering.

"I'm not so sure about that" she replied, smiling.

When they finally got into the Great Hall, Ron had completely forgotten about Snape and spiders.

"I'm starving" he announced.

"What a surprise.." Hermione started, but then she saw Ron's frown. "No, I'm not going back _there_"

"Thank you" said Ron.

"Yeah, thanks a lot" echoed Harry, "I couldn't bear another your fights"

"We don't fight" she protested, "we _share_ opinions"

"Loudly and frowning" Harry observed.

"Shut up" she hissed him, and pointed at the Gryffindor table. "Look at that. _That's_ a fight"

Dean Thomas was sitting on his own, not talking to anyone and had barely touched the food in his dish.

"What d'you mean?" asked Ron, moving his head to see what Hermione was pointing at.

"Dean is sitting all alone" she explained, "and he looks _really_ upset"

"So what?" he and Harry asked at once.

"So!" she sibilated. "Where is Ginny? If she's not with him and he has a frown like that on his face, it must mean they had a bad fight"

"Maybe he just had a bad day and he's just waiting for her" Ron suggested with a shrug.

"No, he's been like that all morning, I noticed him at Defense Dark Arts and Potions"

"Besides, Ginny is already here" said Harry, looking at the Ravenclaw table. "There"

Ron's sister was sitting with Luna Lovegood and Oliver Wood, and the three of them seemed to be having a really good time. Ginny was throwing her head back laughing at something Oliver had said, and even Luna had a huge smile on her face.

"She doesn't look like she's angry with Dean" Harry observed.

"Maybe he's angry with her and she doesn't know" Ron proposed.

"Seriously, Ron?" Hermione gave him a skeptical look. "No, I bet they had a fight about yesterday"

"What about yesterday?" asked Harry, curious.

Hermione smiled.

_I know what's into you, Harry Potter,_ she thought._ It's obvious._

"Well, to start she didn't see him all day" she said in a low voice, as she spotted three empty chairs at the Gryffindor table, "and she spent the afternoon with another boy"

"Another boy?" Harry repeated, his eyes widened. "Who?"

"Wood?" asked Ron, crawling to his chair. "Oh, come on, Hermione, you can't be serious!"

"I'm not saying Dean _should_ be jealous of Oliver" Hermione said, sitting down in front of him, "but your sister _did_ spend the day with him instead of her boyfriend. Boys don't like that"

"No they don't" Harry commented, still staring at Ginny, then he slowly sat down next to Hermione.

_Oooh, Harry!_ she thought, trying hard to hide her smile._  
_

"You gotta be kiddin' me!" Ron exclaimed, grabbing the chicken wings from the trail in front of him. "Ginny can't like Wood!"

"Will you speak lower!" Hermione sibilated, looking at Dean, who didn't seem to be paying attention to anyone in the room.

"Fine!" Ron whispered. "Ginny-can't-like-Wood!"

"I didn't say she does"

"But maybe it's true! Apparently she dates everyone, I don't know what to do with her anymore!"

"Yeah" Hermione replied, looking at him as he started to devour his chicken, "I see it's affecting you deeply"

"Hunger is my reaction to desperation" Ron said, chewing with his mouth open.

"Then you must be a very desperate boy"

Harry made a nervous laughter, then looked back at the Ravenclaw table. Hermione felt terribly guilty for letting him think that Ginny fancied another boy.

_She's with Dean now, but I know she likes Harry.. she always has. If she ever broke up with Dean, Harry would be her second choice. Her first choice, actually, if only Harry hadn't dated Cho Chang last year.._

"Look" Hermione snapped her fingers to catch their attention, "I'm just making hypotesis here, I don't_ actually_ know what happened between them, I'm only speaking of what I see, and what I see is Dean sitting sad on his own while Ginny's talking and laughing with Oliver"

"And with Luna" Harry added, "she's with them too"

"Yeah, perhaps Luna likes Oliver" Ron suggested, "and she asked Ginny to help her with.. to.. you know.."

"Luna likes Oliver?" Hermione repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You two truly believe that's possible?"

"Well.." Harry stuttered, but Ron didn't even bother to answer to her.

"My sister is flirting with Wood!" Ron dropped the chicken wings he was holding in each hand. "She's such a.. such a.. she's so.."

"Pretty" Hermione concluded, grabbing the carafe of juice. "And funny and popular. That's something boys like, isn't it, Harry?"

"What?" he asked as he served himself some peas.

"Don't you think Ginny is pretty?" Hermione faked raffishness as she poured herself some juice.

"I.. well.." stuttered Harry, "she's really funny. You know, she makes good jokes and.. her hair is.. very.. red"

"Yo' a'right, ma'e?" asked Ron, starting to eat again.

Even he had noticed how Harry had blushed.

"I am" Harry shrugged in fake indifference and bowed his head on his peas.

"If you say so" Hermione grinned, than handed Ron a napkin. "Here, you have chicken sauce on your chin"

"Ahhh, 'hanks"

"And what about you, Hermione?" Harry asked, suddenly smiling. "What do you think of Oliver? _He's_ a popular boy himself, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is" agreed Ron, winking.

"Oh, shut up" Hermione huffed. "I don't know why you two are going on about this, but Oliver is _not_ into me"

"He _did_ look like he wanted to kiss you when you did that thing to my glasses" Harry observed.

"He did!" laughed Ron, taking another couple of chicken wings from the trail.

"You weren't even there!" Hermione exclaimed, after taking a sip from her goblet.

"Fred and George described it to me, and Harry said it was true"

_He did, didn't he?_ she thought, then looked at Harry.

"I will kill you" she threatened.

"That's fine" Ron meddled before Harry could reply, "as long as you let us cheat off your homework"

"Harry promised you won't procrastinate again" Hermione protested.

Ron shrugged and laughed again.

"Yeah, well" he said, spreading some butter on a large pieces of toast, "I promised I'll help you with S.P.E.W., it doesn't mean I'm goin' to do it"

Hermione took a deep breath.

"At least you said it right this time" she commented, sadly.

"That's an improvement" joked Harry, throwing a pea at Ron, who opened his mouth and cought it in mid-air.

"Ten points to Gryffindor!" someone exclaimed.

Harry and Hermione turned around at once; Oliver was standing behind them, Ginny next to him.

"Hello guys" greeted Hermione, smiling.

"Hello" he replied, dimples appearing at the corners of his mouth. "Nice grip, Ron, seriously. I just hope you don't use your mouth with the Quaffle too"

"He doesn't.. always" joked Ginny.

"He doesn't always!" mimicked Ron, showing her his tongue.

"I'm just concerning about your teeth's health, dear brother" his sister replied, with a fake sad face. "Don't be cruel to me"

"What d'you wan'?" he asked, biting furiously on his fouth chicken wing.

"Very corteous"

Harry and Oliver guffawed, and even Hermione couldn't hold back a laughter seeing Ginny's twisted smile.

"Fine" Ron huffed and put the chicken down, "what can I do for you, sweet sister?"

"Auch, now you're giving me stomacache" Ginny faked a qualm and sat down between Harry and Hermione. "Enough now, I have something to say"

"Now who's being rude?" asked Ron.

"Shut it and listen" she hissed him. "Oliver is leaving tonight, we_ have_ to celebrate"

"What do you mean celebrate?" Hermione asked, suddenly nervous. "You don't want to skip lessons, do you?"

"Yeah, 'cause that would be bad" Ron said, sarcastical.

"No skipping lessons, don't worry" Ginny continued. "I was thinking about sneaking to Hogsmeade, have a couple of butterbeers and stay up all night"

"Up all night?" Hermione repeated. "But we have classes tomorrow!"

"I checked Ron's timetable, he and Harry have Divination, and I bet you finished your homework for the entire week, didn't you?"

"I.. well, yeah" Hermione admitted, the boys started laughing, "but I won't be able to wake up if I don't sleep at all.."

"Okay, then, how about we go to bed" Ginny insisted, "but not until.. let's say four o'clock?"

"Two o'clock" Hermione protested.

"A quarter to three, and I'll come wake you up myself tomorrow morning"

Hermione hesitated.

_I have Erbology and History of Magic tomorrow morning, and Ancient Runes after lunch.. _

"Two and half, and I'll wake up myself" she proposed.

"Deal" Ginny winked at her and stood up. "See, Oliver? Because of you, she will sneak out the school and go to bed late on the same day"

"If that's not love, I don't know what to call it" Ron joked.

Hermione gave him a severe look; Oliver blushed and put on a nervous smile.

"Can't believe we actually agree on something, brother" said Ginny, before turning around. "Let's go, Oliver, I have Charms now. Will you carry my books?"

"Yep" he nodded and walked back to the Ravenclaw table, where they had left their bags.

"See you later, pals" said Ginny as she started to follow him, but she suddenly turned around. "Oh, I almost forgot. Luna's coming too. Bye!"

_Great, _sarcastically thought Hermione, as Ginny and Oliver disappeared in the crowd.


	6. 6) HARRY

**HARRY**

He desperately tried to comb his hair, even thought he knew it was useless.

_It's always only looked like this, _he thought, staring at himself in the mirror,_ why should it look any different now?_

He wanted to look deecent that night; when would he have had another chance like that again?

_If Hermione's right, Ginny had a bad fight with Dean this morning, so he's not coming with us tonight. And Hermione is always right._

"Are you ready, mate?" asked Ron, pulling his zipper up.

"Yes" Harry sighed, giving one last discomforted look at his hair.

_It's hopeless._

"Let's go"

Ron started to walk down the stairs, and Harry followed him. Once they reached the Common Room, they found the girls standing by the fireplace with their bags at hand.

"Wow" Ron whistled, "I had no idea it was a special night"

"It's not" Hermione turned around and shrugged, "we're just hanging out"

"You combed your hair, for a change" he joked.

"Very chivalrous" she snorted, looking away red faced.

"Don't fight tonight, please" begged Ginny, swishing her ponytail. "Hello, Harry"

"Hi" he managed to reply.

He had always thought Ginny was very pretty, but for once that they weren't forced to wear their uniforms and she and Hermione had dressed up like two girls going on a date, it was a really nice view. Even Hermione looked attractive to Harry's eyes.

"You guys ready to go?" asked Ginny, and before they could reply, she walked away.

Hermione gave Ron a bad look and followed her through the portrait hole.

"Women" whispered Ron, shrugging, "where's their sense of humor?"

"Forget it" said Harry, as the two of them left the Common Room.

"Oliver is waiting for us in the Great Hall" said Ginny, as they started to walk down the staircase, "and I told Luna to meet us there as well, so they're probably already there"

"Are you sure you don't want to tell Dean to come?" asked Hermione, tucking her hair behind her ears.

_No! What are you doing?_

Harry would have pulled her off the stairs.

"Yes, I'm sure" answered Ginny.

"You're still mad at him, aren't you?"

"Very much so"

"What exactly happened?" meddled Harry, trying to sound disinterested.

"He said I like being surrounded by famous people!" Ginny exploded. "_Me!_ And just 'cause I'm friends with you and Oliver"

"Oh, Ginny" Hermione shook her head, "don't you get it? He is jealous"

"I know he's jealous. He can't stand the fact that I'm in the team and he's not"

"Quidditch!" exclaimed Hermione. "Is that all you can think about?"

"She usually says that to us" Ron commented, looking at Harry, who nodded.

"Because you only ever talk about that" Hermione sourly replied, before turning her curly head back to Ginny. "Dean's not jealous of you because you're in the team, but because he didn't see you at all yesterday"

"So what?" asked Ginny, putting her hands in her mini-skirt's pockets. "He's my boyfriend, not my master. I can't spend every minute of my time with him"

"But you spent the whole day with Oliver, that _means_ something"

"What does it mean?" Harry couldn't stop himself from asking.

When both Ginny and Hermione turned around and stared at him confused, he blushed and cleared his throat.

"That's what Dean is wondering right now" he said with a shrug.

"Well" Hermione begain, giving him a penetrating look, "it means that she preferred spending the day with a boy she hardly knew instead of her boyfriend"

"Come on, I knew Oliver!" Ginny protested. "Besides, all the friends he had at Hogwarts finished school when he did, it would've been rude to leave him alone"

"I agree, but you can't be surprised if Dean is a little bit jealous about that, it's completely understandable"

"His reaction was_ not_ understandable, nor were his words.. Stop acting like a child" Ginny mimicked Dean's voice. "Oliver Wood, the-keeper-who-hurt-his-shoulder.. Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived.. who the hell does he think he is?"

_What? _Harry's heart raced_. Dean is jealous of me too?_

For some reason, that made him smile.

"Let's just don't talk about it anymore, alright?" proposed Hermione. "We don't want to ruin this night, do we?"

"No" the other three said at once.

"Besides, this is getting boring" added Ron, grimacing. "Who cares about Ginny's stupid boyfriend?"

"I thought you and Dean were friends" Ginny asserted with a grin.

"We did, before he became your boyfriend"

"Oh, Ron!" Ginny exclaimed, putting her hands around his neck. "What a sweet big brother I have, you don't want your little sister to get hurt!"

"Bloody hell, no" he protested, trying to push her away, but her grab was tight, "and even if I did, it seems to me that Dean's the one who needs protection most"

"Why so? I don't bite" she joked, putting her hands back in her pokets.

"You scratch" said Ron, massaging his neck.

Ginny laughed, and Harry along with her.

"Hush now" Hermione said as they reached the ground floor, "remember. We shouldn't leave the castle after dinner. Harry, did you take your cloak?"

"Yes" he answered, "but it cannot cover everyone"

"Ginny'll go with you, she's the shortest"

"Luna is shorter" Ron meddled, and Harry had to stop himself from kick him.

"Luna would never share the Invisibility Cloak with Harry" Hermione huffed, "she'd say that Nargles or any of her stupid creatures can see through it or some other nonsense"

"Be nice to her, Hermione" Ginny said, severe. "Besides, Ron's wrong, I'm shorter than her. I can go with Harry"

"Cool" he replied with a shrug, acting like his stomach wasn't twisted up in knots.

Ginny seemed kind of offended and gave him an ice cold look, but before he could say anything, she hurried to the Great Hall door. When Harry, Ron and Hermione got there as well, they found her talking to Oliver and Luna.

"Hello" greeted Hermione, "have you been waiting for long?"

"Not long" Luna replied, "but we had the chance to have a little chat. Oliver was explaining to me the weirdest moves and ways to stop a Quaffle from getting inside the ring"

"Really?" Ginny smiled.

Oliver shrugged and shyly smiled back.

"We've been here for a while" he said. "Shall we go now?"

"Absolutely!"

"Shhh, Ginny" Hermione scolded her. "We don't want to be caught, do we?"

"No, we don't" Ginny sighed, "come on, genius, tell us the plan"

"Fine" Hermione looked around her before whispering, "you and Harry will share the Invisibility Cloak. Oliver is allowed to do anything he wants, he doesn't go to Hogwarts anymore, and Ron and I are Prefects"

"You do?" Oliver asked, mostly looking at Ron.

"Surprised, are ya?" he replied. "I was too when I got the badge.. I'd show it to you, but I forgot it somewhere"

"Oh" Hermione rolled her eyes, "why didn't you just use a Summoning Charm? _Nevermind._ What was I saying? Oh, right. Oliver and Ron will go first, using the front door, and they'll keep it open for Ginny and Harry. Luna and I" she hesitated, staring at her in despair, "will be the last. But first, I need to disguise you"

"With a spell?" she asked, widening her already big blue eyes.

"Yes. Do you mind?"

"Are you kidding? I can't wait!" Luna looked even creepier with her mouth opened in a huge smile. "Will you be able to change my hair color?"

"Of course I will" Hermione snorted, offended.

"Great. I want it green"

Harry tried his best not to burst out laughing, and so did Ron, Ginny and Oliver. On the other hand, Hermione seemed extremely annoied.

"Luna" she sibilated, "we must be unnoticed. Don't you think dying your hair green would.. _you know.._ catch someone's attention?"

"Oh" Luna finally understood, "yes, perhaps you're right"

"Perhaps" Hermione repeated, turning around. "Now, come with me"

"Where?"

"We need to find a place where I can disguise you" Hermione gave Harry a hopeless look, and started to walk away. "See you later"

The rest of them waited a few minutes before Ginny spoke.

"Get your cloak out" she told Harry.

He nodded, and he took it out from his pocket as they left the Great Hall. They found a dark corner, and he put the Invisibility Cloak on Ginny and himself.

"Wow, Harry" Oliver whispered, "it's great!"

"And useful" Ginny said.

Harry felt her move by his side, and smiled.

"You've no idea how many times we've used it" Ron told Oliver, before turning around. "Come on, mate, let's go"

He and Oliver went first, kept the door open, and Harry and Ginny quickly sneaked out.


	7. 7) HERMIONE

**HERMIONE**

She was sitting at the table, apparently alone.

"Are you still there?" she whispered.

"Yes" Harry answered, his voice coming from the chair in front of her.

"I hate it when you wear that thing" she protested, "it seems like.."

"Like you were talking to yourself, I know"

She had told him so many times, especially when she and Ron had had a fight during their fourth year, and she and Harry had gone to the Three Broomsticks alone.

"Why did they all have to go to get the drinks?" she asked, nervously looking at the counter.

"Relax, they'll be back soon"

"What if Madama Rosmerta asks Ron why he's not at school?"

"He'll say that he's a Prefect and he can do anything he wants" Harry simply replied.

"Oh, he'll tell her he's a Prefect for sure" she snorted, "and he'll regret not having his badge with him! It's actually weird that he didn't ask to borrow mine.."

"Would you have given it to him?" Harry asked in a skeptical voice.

"Of course not" Hermione replied, "what if he loses mine as well?"

_Besides he'd use it to impress Rosmerta,_ she thought sourly.

"Stop shaking and moving your legs" Harry told her, "or you'll get noticed"

"It's just I'm really nerovus" Hermione admitted, looking down at the table. "I can't believe I agreed on this. I even disguised Luna!"

"You made an excellent work"

She had indeed. Luna's long hair now was as orange as Ginny's, but longer. And her eyes were dark brown, but Hermione had insisted on making her wear a pair of glasses to make her look more ordinary, so she'd used Gemino on Harry's than twisted them to make them bigger and square. Then, Luna had to give her butterbeer cork necklace and her radish earrings up, and now she looked like a normal girl. She didn't mind, though; she was excited about Hermione using a disguising spell on her.

"This isn't right" Hermione said, biting her lips, "we shouldn't be here.. I should never have agreed on this. Sneaking out, breaking the rules.. and for what? For one night out!"

"Oliver's leaving tomorrow morning" Harry objected, "this was our last chance to say goodbye to him"

"We could have celebrated in the Common Room"

"The Common Room is crowded at night, you know that"

"Isn't people all parties are about?"

"Come on, Hermione" Harry said, and she knew by the tone of his voice he was rolling his eyes under the cloak, "every friend Oliver had at Hogwarts is gone. Who would have celebrated him, if most Gryffindors don't even know his name?"

"He's been the team's Captain for years.." Hermione began, but Harry hissed her.

"Gryffindor only won the Quidditch Cup _once_ when he was Captain"

She was a bit surprised but his affirmation.

"Are you saying Oliver's not a good Captain?" she asked.

"What?"

Ginny had returned from the toilet, and was now standing behind her.

"Get under the cloak!" Hermione exclaimed.

Ginny did as she said, after making sure that no one was watching.

_She can be so reckless sometimes,_ Hermione thought._ I told Harry to go with her, but no! She had to go alone! If someone had seen her.._

"Why do you think Oliver's not a good Captain, Harry?" Ginny asked him, once they'd both disappeared under the Invisibility Cloak.

"I don't think that" he hurried to say, "I was just trying to explain to Hermione why we couldn't celebrate in the Common Room"

"Again?" Ginny huffed, and Hermione knew she was looking at her annoied.

"Yes, again" she replied, "forgive me, but I really wish I was anywhere else right now!"

"Here we go" Ron said as he approached them, "butterbeer for everyone"

He and Oliver put the glasses down on the table, letting two skip under Harry's cloak.

"Thanks" he and Ginny whispered at once.

"No problem" Oliver smiled, sitting down.

Luna sat down next to Ron, holding her own glass of butterbeer and staring at it as if it had been full of liquid gold.

"You really never tasted it?" Ron asked her.

"No" Luna answered, "I'd never even been here before tonight. You know, this is a place you come to with friends"

Oliver leaned his head on his left shoulder, and his eyes met Hermione's. She knew exactly what he was thinking.

_Luna always says what she thinks, no matter who's listening or how embarassing it is._

"Stop that, Luna" Ginny said in a low voice, "we are your friends, and you're here with us now"

Luna opened her mouth, but Ginny hissed her.

"And don't say thank you or that I'm nice, I'm just saying the truth"

Luna smiled and took a sip from his glass. Hermione felt a bit of sympathy for her; after all, she was a lonely girl, but she was nice, and she had helped them when they had gone to the Ministry of Magic to rescue Sirius.

"So?" Ron asked as Luna put her glass back on the table. "How d'you like it?"

"It tastes.." she hesitated, licking her lips, "delicious"

"Really?"

"Yes"

Ron gave her a tender smile, and Hermione frowned, as bad thoughts about Luna came to her mind.

_She's lonely for a reason. She's deadly boring, and all she can talk about is his fool father and those immaginary creatures he told her of._

Later on, when Ron smiled at her as well, Hermione felt sorry for thinking that, but she was too busy smiling back at him to formulate any good thought about Luna. The night went quickly among the laughters, the stories and Ron's imitation of the Slytherin students.

_It's a shame that Ginny's wearing the Invisibility Cloak, _Hermione thought, laughing as Ron mimicked Crabbe at Flitwick's lessons,_ she's the best at imitations._

Eventually, even her had to admit it was not such a bad idea leaving the castle for one night. She had been studying hard all week, and the Common Room would have been so crowded that they wouldn't have heard a word of Ron's monologue about Malfoy's repressed childhood.

"..and that's why I have a cow lick my hair every morning"

When everyone burst out laughing, Ron's dull grimace turned into a huge smile.

"Thank you" he bowed his head, "you're the kindest audience"

"You were never this good at mimicking Malfoy" Ginny observed, "have you been practising, bro?"

"Everyday"

Ron's eyes met Hermione's and he winked.

_Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush._

"I have to admit it was rather funny" she said with a tiny smile.

Luna was still laughing out loud when Oliver stood up.

"I'm sorry, but I have to wake up early" he said, then grinned at Hermione. "Forgot to check the time, did you?"

"What?" she held her wrist up and looked at her watch. "Gosh, a quarter past three! We are so late!"

"Calm down" began Ginny, "we.."

"Don't tell me to calm down" Hermione cried hysterically, "you promised we would have been on time!"

"I didn't want to trick you, I simply forgot to check the time, that's all"

"Alright, but stand up now" Hermione urged, grabbing her bag, "we must go. Oh, we're in _so_ much trouble.."

"It's okay" Oliver said, touching her arm, "it's on me. You can go, I'll pay"

"No, mate" Ron protested, "we invited you"

"And now you're late because of me" Oliver, insisted, "seriously, it's okay"

"But.."

"No" he hissed Ginny, then looked back at Hermione. "Drop your wallet and go to bed. Now"

Hermione hesitated, than gave him the warmest of smiles.

"Thank you very much" she said, hugging him, "it's been really good to see you"

"The pleasure was mine" he said as she let go of him.

_He blushed,_ Hermione noticed.

"Thank you" she repeated, as she started to walk away, "and goodnight!"


	8. 8) OLIVER

**OLIVER**

"Good morning is more like it" Ron said, shaking hands with Oliver, "thanks for everything, mate"

"Thank you for the butterbeer" Luna said in a low voice, giving him a tired smile.

"No problem" he said, leaning his head on his left shoulder, "see you"

Ron and Luna left, and Oliver saw two chairs move under his eyes.

_Ginny and Harry,_ he thought.

"So" he said, taking his wallet out of his pockets, "you two are still here"

"We can't let you pay for all of us" Harry replied, "we even had a second round of butterbeer"

"It's alright, really" Oliver smiled to the void, "you're not forgetting I have a job, are you?"

"No, I'm not, but.."

"Come on, Harry, don't insist" meddled Ginny, "he's just being nice. The next time, it'll be on us"

"Fine" Harry resigned, "let's get out of here, then"

"You go, I'll be back in a second" Oliver said, and walked to the counter.

When he was done, he reached his two friends outside. Harry was holding his Invisibility Cloak, and Ginny was swishing her ponytail in the air.

"It was bloody hot in there" she was complaining.

"It's because we were under the cloak" Harry said, "and we had to sit close"

"Are you ready?" Ginny asked, looking at Oliver.

He nodded.

"Good" she took a breath of freash air, "let's just go, Harry, we'll wear the cloak when we're closer to the castle"

"As you wish"

It was a long walk, the sky was black, not a single star was visible up there. It was a bit cold, but not windy.

"Are you cold, Ginny?" Oliver asked her, peeking her shake.

"I shouldn't have worn these stockings" she said, pulling her mini-skirt down, "Hermione warned me"

"She's always right, isn't she?" Oliver grinned, taking his jacket off. "Here"

"Aah, thank you!" she exclaimed, grabbing it and tighting it around her hips to cover her thighs. "Much better"

"You could have used my cloak" Harry told her, but she laughed.

"You'd have seen my chest and head float in the air, it would have been creepy"

"You could never look creepy" Oliver said without thinking.

_What the hell?_ he thought, blushing.

He looked away, but he noticed Ginny had put on a delighted smile.

"At what time do you have to wake up?" asked Harry.

"Half past six" Oliver answered, glad he had changed the subject. "Dumbledore allowed me to use a portkey, so I have to be on time"

"It's a shame you can't Apparate in Hogwarts" complained Ginny.

"It's a shame I can't fly back to London" Oliver said.

"Well, if I were you, I wouldn't go to sleep at all. I could never sleep for a couple of hours and wake up"

"And what do you suggest? To stay up all night?"

"It's just three hours" Ginny shrugged, "you could take a book, or pack your things up, or.."

"Or sleep" Olive yawned. "I am quite tired, to be honest"

"As you prefer"

Finally, they arrived at the castle. Dumbledore had provided Oliver a room next to the kitchens, with the house elves. He had agreed, but had forgotten to tell anything to Hermione; he would have liked to see her face when she'd known he would have had to share his bedroom with those little creatures.

_I'll tell her when I next see her,_ he told himself as they approached the staircase.

"You know, you don't have to walk us to the Common Room" Harry suddenly told him, "your room is down here, and Ginny won't be alone"

"I don't mind" Oliver said, leaning his head on his left shoulder and looking at Ginny.

"I don't either" she replied, as a smile slowly crossed her face.

Oliver could see Harry frown before turning his eyes back on the stairs.


	9. 9) GINNY

**GINNY**

The look on his face when she showed up at the Gryffindor table was priceless.

_Surprised and pleased at the same time,_ she thought, _and of course he blushed._

"Ginny" said Oliver, standing up.

"Sit down" she told him, "there's no need dor that, I'm not the Queen"

He obeyed, but waited for her to sit down as well before starting to cut his eggs again.

"You didn't have to do it" he said.

"I wanted to" she replied, serving herself some crumbled eggs. "I like waking up early anyway"

"Do you?" he grinned, as he poured her some juice. "Then why are you always late?"

"I wake up but stay in bed" she shrugged, taking her goblet. "Thank you"

"Welcome" he bit the corner of his toast. "What do you do when you lay in bed awake?"

"Daydream"

"About?"

"Everything" Ginny served herself some bacon as well. "About Quidditch, about broomsticks I can't afford, about grades I'll never get.."

"About Harry"

She dropped her fork and knife.

"What?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong" Oliver said smirking, "but I seem to remember that you had a huge crush on him a few years ago, am I right?"

"Well, yeah" Ginny admitted, staring at her eggs, "but I'm with Dean now"

"And you like Dean better than Harry?"

_What the hell,_ she thought, _where did all your shyness go? The other day you blushed as I only mentioned Angelina.._

"Harry is my friend" she said, looking up at him.

"But you like him" Oliver observed, staring into her eyes.

She hesitated, then sighed.

"Is it that obvious?"

"He might have noticed something" Oliver started cutting his eggs again, "if he hadn't been too busy trying to hide how much he likes you"

"What?" Ginny's jaw dropped. "You're saying.. you're saying that Harry likes me?"

"Yep"

"Nah" she denied, shaking her hand. "He doesn't like me that way. I'm like a sister to him. Nothing more than that. You must be wrong"

_Please, don't be wrong._

"I could be" Oliver shrugged, filling her goblet again.

She didn't even bother to thank him.

"Maybe he used to think of you as a sister" he continued, staring at her. "Things change, Ginny. We'll see who's right when I come back in a few months"

"You're planning to come back to Hogwarts?" she asked in a low voice.

"Do you mind?" he replied, leaning his head on his shoulder.

"No, of course I don't" she hurried to answer, "but your shoulder is almost healed, and Puddlemore needs you.."

"We too have Christmas holidays, you know"

_Oh, right! _she thought._ Christmas! I completely forgot._

"Are you going home for Christmas?" Oliver asked her, taking another bite of his toast.

"We probably are, Ron and I" Ginny said, "and Harry's coming too I think. Maybe you could come with us"

"That's nice of you to ask" he smiled, his head on his shoulder, "but make sure theres room for everyone first"

"There's plenty of space at the Burrow, don't worry about that"

_The last thing mom needs is another room to clean._

"And your parents.." Oliver began, but Ginny hissed him.

"Mom won't mind, and dad will be happy to have a professional Quidditch player sleep under his roof"

"He'll be very excited then, once you finish school and join the Holyhead Harpies"

Ginny held her head up and stared at him.

_How does he know?_

"That's.." she swallowed, "that's kind of my dream"

"It'll come true" he replied, smiling, "I'm sure"

"Thanks" she smiled back.

They spent the rest of the breakfast in silence. Some students who probably still had to study for their first class arrived and sat at their own table, but it was very soon.

_I never wake up this soon, _Ginny thought,_ unless there's a good reason for it.._

And then it came to her mind.

"Your jacket!" she exclaimed, at the same time as Oliver stood up and said "I have to go now"

He smiled at her and invited her to continue.

"I left it in my room" she said, looking up at him.

"You'll give it to me the next time I see you" he said, "I can't be late now, or I'll lose the portkey"

"Sure"

"Don't" he said, before she could stand up. "You went to bed late and woke up early because of me. Stay and have breakfast in peace, at least"

She didn't know what to say, so she kept quite and looked at him as he grabbed his bag and wore his sweatshirt.

"I'll write to you, I promise" he said, pulling his zipper up.

"Keep me posted about Christmas" she replied, playing with her eggs.

She wasn't so hungry, after all.

"I will" he smiled, leaning his head on his shoulder. "Goodbye, Ginny"

"Goodbye, Oliver"

As she watched him walk out the Great Hall, a weird feeling of emptyness filled her chest.


End file.
